By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, Aug 25: Kuching has been showcased as a global model of how culture, sustainable tourism, and urban regeneration can be integrated to drive inclusive and sustainable city growth at the 2025 Culture and Creativity Driven Sustainable Urban Development International Forum in Wuhan, China.
According to a press release, Kuching South City Council (MBKS) mayor Dato Wee Hong Seng, who presented Kuching’s case study at the forum, said the Sarawak capital demonstrates the power of integration where gastronomy, eco-tourism, and urban regeneration reinforce each other to create a thriving and inclusive city.
Wee highlighted Kuching’s achievements as Malaysia’s first UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, as well as its recognitions as a Unity City and World Craft City, while also participating in global networks such as the Healthy City, Child-Friendly City Initiative, and the WHO Age-Friendly Cities Network.
He explained how Kuching demonstrates the power of integration: gastronomy is not only about food but also a driver of livelihoods, innovation, and tourism; eco-tourism safeguards biodiversity while creating jobs; and urban regeneration policies promote inclusivity through revitalised public spaces and age- and child-friendly frameworks.
“These cross-sector initiatives form a virtuous cycle: culture attracts tourism, tourism revenues support regeneration, and regeneration enriches both the cultural and tourism experience,” he said.
Wee added that Kuching’s integrated model is fully aligned with the Braga Manifesto on Culture and Sustainability, the Mondiacult 2025 Agenda, and Sarawak’s Post Covid-19 Development Strategy 2030 (PCDS 2030), all of which embed culture at the core of development planning.
“By linking culture, tourism and regeneration, Kuching is showing that even mid-sized cities can play a global leadership role in building sustainable and people-centred futures,” he stressed.
The forum, organised by the Secretariat of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, the Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Natural Resources and Urban Rural Development, and the Wuhan Planning and Design Institute, brought together global city leaders, experts, and policymakers to exchange best practices in sustainable urban development. — DayakDaily
